Florida’s Medical Marijuana Program Faces Controversy Over Card Revocation
A new rule in Florida has sparked controversy among medical marijuana patients and advocates, who argue that the measure is punitive and denies essential medicine to those who have been convicted of illegal drug possession. The rule, implemented by the Florida Department of Health, revokes medical marijuana cards for patients and caregivers who are charged with or convicted of illegal possession of a controlled substance.
According to the Office of Medical Marijuana, over 160 patients have either lost or are at risk of losing their access to medical marijuana due to this rule. The revocation is based on a provision in a measure from the Senate Appropriations Committee, which was signed into law by Governor Ron DeSantis in July.
Medical marijuana advocates, including Orlando attorney John Morgan, who earned the nickname “Pot Daddy” for his role in financing the 2016 initiative that legalized medical marijuana in Florida, have criticized the rule, comparing it to denying essential medicine to someone with diabetes for shoplifting at a supermarket.
The rule has also raised concerns among patients who rely on medical marijuana to manage their chronic conditions. According to the Department of Health’s 2025 Office of Medical Marijuana Use Program Update, the number of registered medical marijuana users has more than doubled to 925,000 since 2020. The qualifying conditions for medical marijuana in Florida include cancer, epilepsy, glaucoma, human immunodeficiency virus, post-traumatic stress disorder, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Crohn’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, and conditions of the same kind or class as those above.
The controversy surrounding the rule has also sparked a grand jury investigation into a scheme possibly involving members of Governor DeSantis’ administration to fund opposition to a similar measure in 2024, which failed at the ballot box.
Medical marijuana advocates argue that the rule is punitive and denies essential medicine to those who need it most. They argue that patients should not be punished for their criminal convictions and that medical marijuana should be treated as a legitimate form of medicine.
The debate over how Florida should handle marijuana, medical or otherwise, is far from over. With the number of registered medical marijuana users continuing to grow, the controversy surrounding the rule is likely to continue to spark debate and discussion in the state.
